Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Hendry Langlands (junior)
Designation:  
Born: 1894
Died: April 1992
Bio Notes: James Hendry Langlands was born c.1894, the son of James Hendry Langlands of Dundee and his wife Barbara Keay Isles. He was educated at Dundee High School and was articled to his father c.1908, working under the supervision of William Gillespie Lamond, then chief assistant. During his apprenticeship he studied architecture at Dundee Technical College under Patrick Thoms and concurrently qualified as a surveyor and structural engineer. On Lamond's sudden death in June 1912 he took over the detail design work of the Eastern School, Broughty Ferry and largely designed the Morgan Academy extension before seeking wider experience in London at an office which has yet to be identified.

As architect to Dundee School Board and several other boards the elder Langlands became extremely prosperous and lived in some style in a late Georgian mansion at Cunmont, Newbiggin. But in 1919 as a result of local government changes Dundee School Board was absorbed into the Corporation of the City of Dundee and the schools were taken over by the City Architect's Department. The Langlands practice was almost wholly dependent on schoolwork and as some of the School Board architects had retained office in Aberdeen and other places, Langlands unsuccessfully sued for the loss of office, an action which alienated the Town Council and caused further damage to the practice.

James Hendry Langlands Senior died in a Dundee nursing home on 9 June 1932, leaving moveable estate of £264 18s 8d. His son continued the practice thereafter. He built little, specialising in structural engineering, particularly shop alterations. He is recorded in his obituary as having designed the 23 bridges on the Kinlochleven Road but whether on his own account or as an assistant in a practice to which he had gone to gain experience has still to be established.

James Hendry Langlands Junior closed the practice in the mid-1960s, by which date it was at a very low ebb; the office was still at 31 Murraygate and had remained unchanged since World War I. His last major work was the extensive stone repairs of St Mary's Parish Church, Dundee, work which he carried out with great care and skill without losing the original coursing or the polished face of the ashlars. He died in April 1992 at the great age of 98, still living in the house built by his father for his aunts. He never married, the great interest of his life being motorcars: because of their home at Cunmont, outside the city, the Langlands family had acquired a motorcar very early.

The practice archive which had remained complete was unfortunately destroyed, although a few framed presentation drawings were deposited with the buildings the practice had designed.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 131, Murraygate, Dundee, ScotlandBusinessc. 1908After 1964Some handwritten documents (including James Lowe's and A Lawrence Chapman's LRIBA papers) appear to give the address as 81 Murraygate, but the correct address was no 31 (as printed in RIBA Kalendars)

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1James Hendry Langlands (senior)c. 1908 ApprenticeLater partner

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Arthur Williamson18911896Apprentice 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 171911Eastern SchoolBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandAs draughtsman
Item 2 of 171911Glebelands School  DundeeScotlandRebuilding
Item 3 of 17c. 1911Harris Academy, Park Place  DundeeScotlandReconstruction of Ireland & MacLaren building with additional floor. Extension not built because of the war.
Item 4 of 171915Baffin Street bakery  DundeeScotlandAlterations
Item 5 of 171919RoseangleWellbank AngusScotland 
Item 6 of 171919Rosebank House  DundeeScotlandReconstruction
Item 7 of 171920Britannia Engine Works  DundeeScotland 
Item 8 of 171920Engineering shop, Dock Street East  DundeeScotland 
Item 9 of 171920Hospital Park Housing Scheme  DundeeScotlandLanglands claimed this as his in 'Who's who in Architecture 1923'.
Item 10 of 171921House, Clepington Street  DundeeScotlandAlterations
Item 11 of 171921Martyrs Church  DundeeScotlandWoodwork
Item 12 of 171922Garage, Maws Loan and Strathmartine Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 13 of 171922Offices for J R Berg & Son  DundeeScotlandAlterations
Item 14 of 171923Lilybank Foundry  DundeeScotlandPower Station
Item 15 of 171924Villa, Hill StreetMonifieth DundeeScotland 
Item 16 of 171927Monikie Memorial HallMonikie AngusScotland 
Item 17 of 171928The ShielingBarnhill DundeeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 2 of 2RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Architectural ReviewApril 1908CXXIII p269-271
Item 2 of 2Dundee Courier and Advertiser16 April 1992  Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information from James H Langlands and Robert Dron who worked in the office in 1913-14